Will Russia’s plan for overland oil route be ‘game changer’ for India’s energy security?
Russia is looking into a solution for a problem that has become hard for India to ignore: how to keep oil and other strategic goods moving when sanctions, war and maritime chokepoints threaten the world’s busiest energy routes. Moscow’s proposal for a direct rail link to India through Central and South Asia remains exploratory, but analysts say it points to a wider scramble by major powers to…
Russia is exploring the possibility of a direct rail link to India through Central and South Asia to provide an alternative transport route for oil and strategic goods. This idea emerged from comments made by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, who stated that the railway route should also be explored as a means to secure long-term financing for infrastructure construction.
Khusnullin warned that risks around the Bosphorus and Hormuz could necessitate alternative routes through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. For India, which relies heavily on Russian crude oil, the proposal is not an immediate solution but rather a sign of how energy security is being redefined due to conflict. India's dependence on Russian crude surged to a record in July, accounting for 50.83% of imports, making Russia a crucial buffer for the country.
However, analysts caution that the proposal is still preliminary and lacks detailed information on capacity, cost, and construction timetable. India's crude oil imports from all countries combined total around 5 million barrels per day, with Russian imports peaking at 2.5-2.8 million barrels per day. While the proposed rail link could provide additional flexibility in oil supply, it is not expected to replace seaborne crude oil.
The proposal is viewed as supplementary rather than a game-changer for India's crude balance at this stage.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
